China will allocate 30 million yuan ($4.8 million) next year to help ease tensions over territorial disputes in South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), according to a report by state-owned English language daily newspaper China Daily. "Through cooperation with South China Sea countries we can deepen understanding and acknowledgement with each other and eliminate doubts and worries," China Daily quoted Ma Deyi, director of the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO), as saying on Thursday.
The institute is under China's State Oceanic Administration (SOA), an agency under the Ministry of Land and Resources responsible for the supervision and management of the country's sea area and the protection of national maritime rights. The report said that according to the FIO official, deepening cooperation will largely prevent sea disputes over South China Sea. Also, Zhang Zhanhai, director of SOA said, "Territorial disputes cannot be solved within a short time. Territorial disputes should be temporarily put aside, and joint development will be an effective way." He added that strengthening international cooperation over the South China Sea would create a win-win situation, economically and politically.
Aside from the 30 million yuan, the report said China would also allocate another 2 million yuan to bankroll the expenses of 20 international students from South China Sea countries. China Daily said that according Zhang, the students will go to China for marine-related studies. China claims all of South China Sea under its nine-dash-line map as part of its territory. Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines have separate and overlapping claims.
The Philippines on Friday reiterated its request for China to respect its territory, a day after Beijing deployed a patrol ship in the West Philippine Sea. In a text message, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said that its recent move to deploy the Haixun 21, an oceangoing patrol vessel equipped with a helipad in the contested waters, is contrary to China’s obligation under international law including United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). “The Philippines strongly objects to the Chinese patrol of Philippine Maritime domain in the West Philippine Sea,” Hernandez said.
China’s Maritime Bureau of the Ministry Transport deputy head Huang He said the Haixun 21 would monitor maritime traffic safety, investigate maritime accidents, detect pollution, carry out search and rescue work and fulfil international conventions in the contested waters. But according to Hernandez, “Such patrol will not validate the nine-dash lines and is contrary to China’s obligation under the international law including Unclos."
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/51473/china-to-allocate-4-8-m-fund-to-help-ease-tensions-in-south-china-sea
Announcement of the $4.8-M fund is part of the Chinese strategic psychological warfare campaign to persuade international audiences that they genuinely seeks cooperation in order to "deepen understanding and acknowledgement with each other and eliminate doubts and worries." In the meantime, absent any organized opposition by other regional claimants, China will continue to take incremental, unilateral action that in 5-10 years will allow to exercise defacto control over the South China Sea.
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